Jacob Adam "Jake" McLaughlin (born October 7, 1982) is an American actor. He is most famous for playing Gordon Bonner in Paul Haggis's In the Valley of Elah. McLaughlin plays Tate in the Spring 2014 NBC series Believe.

Born in Paradise, California and raised in Chico, California.

McLaughlin is the son of John P. McLaughlin and Rebecca Kay De Victoria. He's nephew of commercial actor 'Kevin Gregg'. He attended Notre Dame Catholic School and Chico High School in Chico, California. He moved to Southern California and obtained a GED from North Hollywood High.

McLaughlin joined the U.S. Army in 2002. He was part of the 3rd Infantry Division. His unit was one of the first to enter Baghdad. NBC reporter David Bloom died while embedded with McLaughlin's unit. He served in Iraq for four years but was critically injured. For his efforts, he was awarded the Army Commendation Medal, Combat Infantry Badge, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, Army Good Conduct Medal and four army achievement medals for his service during Operation Iraqi Freedom. He's a qualified expert marksmen on the m-249 s.a.w., m-240 bravo, 50 cal. machine gun, and the m-16 & m-4 assault rifles. He was featured in the Soldier of Fortune magazine. He is mentioned in David Zucchino's 2004 book Thunder Run. Which talks about the push to Baghdad, Iraq.

After leaving the military, McLaughlin worked on a crab boat in Oregon and as a security guard at Universal Studios. He was living in Chico, California, doing concrete work and had only $200 in his checking account when he heard about the casting session for Paul Haggis's In the Valley of Elah,. Being a former dismount infantry S.A.W. gunner in Iraq in real life, he thought he would read for the role after hearing that Haggis was auditioning actual vets for several parts.

After the success of his first movie, McLaughlin made cameo appearances in movies such as The Day the Earth Stood Still and Cloverfield. He appeared in episodes of The Unit and CSI: Crime Scene Investigation. He got his first major role on TV in 2009, when he was cast in the television remake of the Oscar winning film, Crash. In the following years he made many appearances on television. In 2011, he was cast in Warrior which was followed by a supporting role in Safe House.

In February 2013, McLaughlin was cast as the male lead in Believe, a television pilot by Alfonso Cuarón which was picked to series in May 2013. The show premiered on NBC in March 2014.

In March 2015, he was cast in the television pilot, Quantico which was picked to series in May.

McLaughlin married Stephanie McLaughlin in (2004). They have two children.

McLaughlin is a huge fan of Japanese filmmaker Akira Kurosawa, who directed such films as TheSevenSamurai and TheHiddenFortress.

He was named one of "Falls Fresh New Faces" by Hollywood.com in 2009.

While filming Oliver Stone's Savages, McLaughlin was involved in an automobile accident in one of the films transportation vans. The van lost control on its way down a hillside in Mystery Mesa ranch, California, and rolled off a ravine landing on its roof.